Exodus 34:6–7
6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (ESV)

Deuteronomy 7:9
9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, (ESV)

“But notice what God says. His covenant love flows down to a thousand generations; but he visits generational sins to the third and fourth generation. Do you see the difference? Yes, our sins will be passed down to our children and grandchildren. But God’s goodness will be passed down in a way that inexorably swallows up all our sins. His mercies travel down a thousand generations, far eclipsing the third and fourth generation.
That is who God is. That according to his own testimony, is his heart” (Ortland, Dane. Gentle and Lowly, 150).

God loves mankind, but He also judges sin.

2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (ESV)

We reap what we sow, but even in God’s judgment His desire is that every person would repent and be redeemed.

God loves you and me freely offering forgiveness and redemption. God judges sin. God’s desire, even in judgment, is that every person would repent and give their life to Christ.

Revelation 15:1
15 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. (ESV)

Revelation 15:2–4
2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
4 Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (ESV)

Revelation 15:5–7
5 After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, 6 and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests.7 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, (ESV)

Romans 2:5
5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. (ESV)

God’s wrath is never vengeful. God’s wrath is His righteous judgment against the sinfulness of mankind.

Revelation 15:8
8 and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. (ESV)

Exodus 40:34–35
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (ESV)

Revelation 16:1–4
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. (ESV)

Revelation 16:5–7
5 And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,
“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”
7 And I heard the altar saying,
“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
true and just are your judgments!” (ESV)

Revelation 6:9–10
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (ESV)

Isaiah 49:26
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
Then all flesh shall know
that I am the Lord your Savior,
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (ESV)

God is a fair, just, and righteous judge.

Revelation 16:8–9
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. (ESV)

Revelation 16:10–11
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. (ESV)

Genesis 6:5
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (ESV)

Romans 1:24–25
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (ESV)

Revelation 16:12–16
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (ESV)

Revelation 16:15
15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) (ESV)

Revelation 16:17–21
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe. (ESV)

Perspective matters.

Your view of God makes a difference on how you trust God and how you worship Him.

Live your life as if Jesus is coming back today.

Matthew 5:14–16
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (ESV)

Discussion Questions
1. As you think about God and fairness, would you agree or disagree with the statement “Life’s not fair”? Knowing that God is sovereign, and nothing happens except by His decree how would you reconcile this declaration that life is not fair to His sovereignty? How does God’s sovereignty change your perspective of life?

2. Examine Exodus 34:6-7. Does this understanding of who God is change the way you view the Old Testament? The New Testament? The judgements of Revelation? Why or why not?

3. Why does perspective matter?

4. What is a high view of God? What is a low view of God? In what ways do you have a high view of God? Are there areas of your life that demonstrate a low view of God? What can be done to change a view of God from a low view to a high view?

5. What are ways you can help someone see a high view of God?

6. Compare the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls to each other and to the 10 plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-10). What examples of contrast (e.g., “not only . . . but . . .”) can you find in each section? What is the connection between the three scenes? How would these seals, trumpet, and bowls comfort John’s original readers?

7. What has God done in your life to help you repent? How receptive are you to admitting your guilt and repenting when you sin?

8. How do these chapters make you feel?

9. What great and mighty deeds has God done in your life for which you can praise Him today?

10. How would you explain the necessity of these plagues to someone who is not a Christian?

11. Discuss ways each of you can let your light shine today as you watch for the coming of the Lord.